Hawaii Hispanic News
Page 16 - December 2011
Program celebrates third anniversary 2010 and has assisted over one million U.S. Census Guatemalans living in U.S. numbers 120,842 Hawaii Hispanic Residents By José Villa, Senior Editor
U.S. Hispanic Buying Power (annual disposable income): $ 1,000,000,000,000 (Trillion)
Ages 21-65: 73,000 Hawaii Hispanic residents 98% of registered Hispanic voters in Hawaii voted in 2008
What are you doing to reach this market? Call us now! (808) 744-7225
the Guatemalan government’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is turning three years old. It has served over a million Guatemalans living in the U.S., while having achieved significant individual legal and non-legal successes, among others: • Landmark legal victories • Family Reunification • Release of unlawful detainees • SIJ Visas for minors • U-Visas for crime victims • Participation in Mobil Consulates throughout the U.S. • Use of the innovative webpage www. palmigua.com and video conferencing coverage • Prevention of deportations • Million Dollar compensation for medical treatment • Wage theft compensation • Widespread coverage in the media about the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Global Justice (GJ) supports the DREAM ACT. A number of young Guatemalans are assisted and represented by lawyers of the program. One of them is the student Fredd Reyes who was released from a detention center when he was about to be deported. He has managed to stay in the U.S., thanks to the program, and the support of people throughout the country who support young persons who were brought to this country as minors and have made their life here. Fredd has become a leading voice in the Hispanic population for comprehensive immigration reform. Services provided by GJ to the community include information and training/education about the rights of foreigners in the U.S., regardless of their immigration status. As part of this strategy, GJ produced a series of informational videos that are broadcast
daily in all the Guatemalan consulates handles are immigration issues, but the in the U.S. These provide an average coverage is not limited to just these. The of 250,000 visitors per year valuable program provides a whole spectrum of information. GJ has also produced service ranging from labor issues, civil brochures, posters and right cards that and criminal cases, to people who are are distributed among the Guatemalan vulnerable due to medical malpractice, nationals residing in the U.S. accidents, workers compensation and GJ works closely with the consulates violation of civil rights. of Guatemala and is present in the The Internet site not only facilitates mobile consulates conducted in the free legal consultation services, but it United States, informing the community also offers education and support to about their rights and providing legal Guatemalan immigrants with tools like advice. The program also makes use of an online course on immigrant rights. an innovative video-conference system, Visitors can also download documents implemented by the Guatemalan Ministry that explain: what to do in a raid; what to of Foreign Affairs, which provides better do if arrested; or how to protect children communications with consulates and against a possible family separation. The community groups, while streamlining site also has: links to immigrant support the process of legal assistance. groups; information on consulates; The GJ Program also has PALMIGUA informational videos; and news, among (“Portal Guatemalan Migrant Assistance”). many other resources. This is an innovative internet portal The great success that the legal (http://www.palmigua.com) through assistance program GJ has achieved can which any Guatemalan citizen can be seen in the transformational changes request any type of legal advice for free. in the lives of the Guatemalans that have The most types of cases the GJ program T:7” benefited from the program.
Cuando tu amiga descubre que tiene un problema de salud mental, también descubre quiénes son sus verdaderos amigos.
Visita www.aceptarignorar.samhsa.gov para más información.